At Last He Sees The Light, A MerlinTangled Xover
by MerlinPsych
Summary: After Mother Gothel teams up with Morgana and 'kidnaps' Gwen, Merlin and Arthur set out to find her, along the way meeting a girl with 70 feet of magical glowing hair! Unfortunately, the whole thing is a big misunderstanding and an important secret gets accidentaly revealed. Disclaimer: I don't own Tangled or Merlin. (After 5X06 of Merlin)
1. Chapter 1- Two Strangers

**Hi, this is MerlinPsych! Thanks for reading this, or at least considering reading it! I was thinking recently about making a Merlin/Tangled crossover, as there don't appear to be any others... (Correct me if I'm wrong,) ;) So... here it is! I'm not exactly sure how this will turn out, but we'll see where it takes me. This story takes place after 5X06 of Merlin and during the time Flynn and Rapunzel explore Corona.**

Rapunzel backed away from the two mysterious, intimidating strangers. "Who are you and what do you want?!" she cried.

"I'm Merlin," said the one with dark hair and oversized ears who wore a neckerchief. "This is my master, um..." he turned to the other man, who was blond and wore armor, for help.

"I'm, erm... Lancelot," the other coughed, sending an irritated look at his laughing servant.

Then, Lancelot blinked. "That's some looong hair." he commented, eyeing Rapunzel's 70 feet of blond locks.

"DON'T YOU DARE COME AFTER MY HAIR!" Rapunzel shrieked in horror, "I WON'T LET YOU CUT IT!"

Merlin and Lancelot exchanged glances.

_"Why,"_ Arthur replied, looking very confused, "Would I ever want to cut your hair?"

"Well, why else would you be here with a sword?" Rapunzel snapped.

The two exchanged glances again.

"We're here looking for someone," Merlin responded.

Rapunzel calmed down a little bit, realizing that they weren't more guards searching for her and Eugene. "Oh. Who?"

"Her name is Lady Gothel," Arthur replied, coldly, "And she kidnapped Queen Guinevere and tried to kill Merlin. With magic."

Rapunzel gasped. "What?!" Her mother had tried to _kill _Merlin?! But he seemed like he was such a nice young man! Lancelot she wasn't so sure about, but… "Wait- how did this… WHY?!"

Lancelot looked at Merlin and she could overhear him whispering to him, "_I think she's crazy. Let's go,"_

Merlin shook his head at him. _Too late now, _he mouthed.

Rapunzel wondered if she should tell them she could hear them, but decided against it.

Lancelot shook his head. _"We don't have time for this!" _ He hissed.

Merlin sighed. "Fine," he growled, "Go then! I guess I'll just have to interrogate her on my own-"

"Merlin!" Lancelot cried, smacking him upside the head, "You _idiot!_ Don't give us away!"

"Ow!" Merlin complained, "Arthur-"

Both men froze.

Rapunzel just stared at them. "Uh, why did he just call you…?"

"RUN!" Arthur cried, and the two of them bolted off through the streets of Corona, to be stopped by Maximus leaping in front of them with Flynn on his back. They must have finished getting dinner, then.

Flynn hopped down from the horse, looking at Lancelot- er, that is, Arthur, and Merlin. "Rapunzel? Who are your friends?" he asked, suspisciously.

"They're looking for my mother," she whispered to him, "Apparently, she tried to kill the servant."

"Names?" Eugene asked.

"Merlin and-" Merlin began, looking away from her guiltily.

"King Arthur of Camelot!" Rapunzel cried, remembering, "That's where I know your name from!"

Arthur groaned. "Merlin, you idiot, you blew our cover in the first five minutes!"  
"I'm sorry!" Merlin snapped, "Maybe you shouldn't have startled me!"

Arthur drew his sword, pointing it towards them. "We don't want any trouble," he warned, "We aren't here as enemies of Carona, even if our kingdoms are at war. We just need to find the criminal who escaped from our dungeons. We need to find my wife."

"You know," Merlin commented, "They always escape. Maybe we need sturdier cells."

Arthur sighed in mock exasperation. "But then how would I have bust you out all those times you got in trouble?" he teased.

Merlin sighed, dramatically, "Just quit punishing me then!"

"I can't," Arthur replied, "You just attract trouble wherever you go."

"_I _attract trouble?!" An incredulous Merlin cried, "Do you have _any_ idea how many times I've had to save your sorry-"

Eugene cleared his throat. "Ahem. So, what do you want _us_ to do here? Because I assume you must have some sort of plan for us, threatening us with your sword and all…"

Arthur looked over at his servant. "I'll hold them off," he muttered under his breath, "Run."

Merlin shook his head, quickly, with his stormy blue eyes wide. "Arthur, I'm not leaving you to-"

Rapunzel quickly knocked Arthur out cold with her frying pan while they were distracted. "You're not battling anyone!" she cried.

Merlin looked horrified, and suddenly his eyes began to glow a liquid golden color that Rapunzel recognized instantly.

"Whoa! My hair glows just like that!" she cried, startling Merlin into turning his eyes back to cobalt.

"Your _hair_ glows?" he asked, clearly astonished.

"Yes, which can only mean… _You _have magic?" she cried in alarm.

"Rapunzel," Eugene warned, "Tie him up! NOW!"

She complied instantly, and in seconds Merlin was bound in hair.

His eyes began glowing again, but Maximus knocked him out before he could do anything with a whack of his hoof.

There was an awkward silence as Rapunzel and Flynn stared at their unconscious captives.

"Um, what now?" Rapunzel asked, nervously.

**Uh oh... Merlin and Arthur talked to the wrong girl! And she knows Merlin's secret! How can this possibly end well?! I would love your ideas and feedback! Please Review! :) I'll try to update soon! **

**-MerlinPsych**


	2. Chapter 2- Two Evils Unite

About One Year Earlier:

Gothel walked swiftly, wishing she had never promised to get Rapunzel that seashell paint for her birthday. There were so many other gifts, but she had just _had _to choose the one that took her right by the magic-hating enemy kingdom of Camelot, through this deep and confusing forest.

Then again, she was hardly a friend of Carona herself, having kidnapped their princess on the day of her birth.

But, that was beside the point. Evil and self-centered as she was, Gothel did (sort of) care about Rapunzel, in her own way, and she was determined to make her birthday happy. Although, honestly, the real reason was that Rapunzel had been getting tired of the tower again, and this was a decent chance to pacify her charge for a while, effectively hiding her secret.

Gothel whirled around as a twig snapped behind her and then breathed a sigh of relief to see that it had been nothing but a squirrel. Clearly, there was nobody out here but her. She was crazy to be so jumpy, and at least she didn't have to worry about anybody finding Rapunzel in the forests of Camelot.

However, she suddenly heard a shout from behind her, which scared the squirrel away. She spun around to see a patrol of knights coming crashing through the bushes.

Gothel panicked and let loose a volley of magic, which, although weak, conjured a tiny breeze which blew dust into the eyes of a knight, effectively blinding him.

"SORCERY!" a panicked and infuriated knight shouted from behind him.

Darn it, she'd been caught red-handed. (Or, rather golden-eyed…)

Even a sorceress could not take on this many guards. She'd have to run for it. However, if she was going down, someone was going down with her.

Gothel quickly stabbed the blinded knight in the heart with her dagger and took off sprinting through the forest, silent except for her thundering heart, pursued by a stampede of vengeful knights.

_Stupid Camelot!_ Why were they so against magic, anyways? She simply would have distracted them with sand and hurried on her way to get her paint, but now she was a fugitive from the law.

Okay, so that wasn't really news. But still. She had been _forced_ to kill that man! Well, sort of.

The knights were mounted, and so they reached her in only a few minutes. The head knight dismounted and raced up to her. "You are a user of sorcery!" he cried.

_No duh. _Gothel thought.

" Now come quietly and Arthur may actually-" the red-haired knight continued, brandishing his sword.

The ancient words of the Old Religion laced the air, but they weren't coming from Gothel. She watched in shock as the knights who'd been threatening her were all thrust backwards through the air by a single spell.

Gothel stepped cautiously forward, looking at them. They were all unconscious.

Turning slowly around, she came face to face with her savior, a young woman wearing a black dress and a long, green cloak.

"Hello," the sorceress greeted her, brushing her dark curls out of her face, "I am Morgana. Are you alright?"

Gothel shook her head in disbelief. "That was _you?! _ Where did you learn to do magic like that?! That was… that was incredible!"

Morgana smirked, smugly. "Never mind that, I asked you a question."

"I'm fine." Gothel replied, coolly, regaining her normal arrogance. "What brings you to this corner of the woods?"

"I'm trying to destroy Camelot." Morgana replied, simply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Well then, good luck!" Gothel snorted. "Those idiots all deserve worse than death!"

Morgana laughed. "I'm glad you think so. I had sensed when I saw you use magic that we may be alike."

"Well, perhaps." Gothel replied, "But I must be on my way, or Rapunzel may be discovered before my return to Carona."

"Ah," Morgana sighed, "So that's where you hail from. What's Rapunzel?"

Gothel snorted. "You mean who."

"Alright then, who?"

Gothel paused. "Why should I tell you?"

"Why shouldn't you?" Morgana asked, slyly.

Gothel sighed. "Well, you do seem to hold a certain appreciation for evil… I suppose that's good…"

Morgana laughed, "A certain appreciation? I take great pride in my schemes, thank you very much! I've been working my butt off to destroy Camelot for, what, six years now?"

"Not very successful, then?" Gothel chided her.

Morgana's eye turned cold. "And I suppose your evil ventures have been?"

Gothel cackled, and then boasted, "But of course! I've captured a princess with magical hair and hidden her up in a tower for seventeen years!"

"Magical hair?!" Morgana asked, alarmed, then quickly hid her shock. "I suppose that's Rapunzel, then?"

"Yes," Gothel continued, smugly, "And her hair can heal any wound or… as I use it, it can make someone young and alive forever!"

Morgana gasped. "A fountain of youth!"

Gothel nodded, grinning. "I'm a genius, I know!"

"But a selfish one," Morgana pointed out. "I may appear evil, but it's not only for me that I destroy Camelot. It is for the freedom of magic-users everywhere!"

Gothel laughed. "Right. But that's a sort of large goal, isn't it? An _entire kingdom_?"

"I've sat upon its throne before," Morgana pointed out.

A light turned on in Gothel's head. "So that's where I know you from! You're Uther's daughter!"

Morgana drew a dagger from her belt and held it to the older woman's neck. "No," she snarled, "Uther may be the one who sired me, but he will _never_ be my father!"

Morgana removed the dagger and Gothel gasped in relief, subconsciously reaching up to tough her neck. "I… understand." She muttered, laughing nervously.

Morgana smirked. "Good."

There was a brief silence between them.

Then, Morgana got an idea.

"What is your name?" she asked, her voice suddenly softer and more friendly.

"Gothel." The other sorceress replied.

Morgana grinned, "Well, Gothel, it would seem that Camelot is a common enemy for us!"

"Yes…. What does it matter?" Gothel snapped, irritated at the casual exchange after a dagger had just been drawn on her.

"Perhaps…" Morgana explained, eyes gleaming, "We could work together, to ensure its downfall."

Gothel nodded, slowly, recognizing the benefits of a partner in crime. "What's in it for me?"

Morgana thought for a moment. "When I'm crowned queen," she began, "I will ensure your place on the throne of Carona with my army."

Gothel looked surprised. She had never thought to dominate her kingdom before. She liked the idea. She liked it a lot! Perhaps this trip hadn't been a total waste of time.

She nodded, extending one slightly wrinkled hand. "You've got yourself a deal."

Morgana grinned. "Great. I will send for you when I need you."

Gothel grinned back, and waved over her shoulder as she continued on towards the sea.

It was the beginning of a beautiful, horrible friendship.

**What did you think? These two could be quite a dangerous pair, that's for sure! I'll try to update soon! Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3- A Strange Form of Magic

A/N: Hi! Sorry this has been so long! I've been a little distracted by other stories lately... But here's the next chapter! Hopefully it's not too OOC, it's a bit of a filler...

Please tell me what you think!

* * *

Merlin winced as he drifted back into consciousness. His head was throbbing as if it had its own heartbeat, interrupted by sudden pangs of fiery pain. It felt like he'd been kicked by a horse… _Oh, wait…_

He opened his eyes and the memories came flooding back. "Arthur," he whispered, frantically, looking desperately around for his friend. He attempted to stand and go searching for him, but found that he'd been tied to a tree with rope, arms pinned at his sides.

"ARTHUR!" he shouted, heart racing in anxiety as he struggled in vain against his bonds. "ARTHUR!" Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no! What had they done to him?!

Merlin suddenly heard the footsteps of somebody racing towards him. "ARTHUR!" he cried, relieved, struggling even harder to try to get to his friend.

Unfortunately, it wasn't Arthur's footsteps he'd heard.

Rapunzel dashed out from behind a tree, running right up to him looking very relieved. "You're awake!" she cried.

Merlin frowned, disappointed and a little bit wary of the strange girl after he'd seen her with a frying pan. "No thanks to you. Where's Arthur?" They _had_ to get out of here. Who knew what Gothel could be up to, even now?

Rapunzel didn't answer, but stared at him. "Does it hurt much?" she asked, concerned, looking at his head.

It still felt like Merlin's head had been battered harshly for three days straight in training without wearing a helmet and he couldn't really see properly, much less think. In all truth, the hit was messing with his head, but he wasn't going to give _her_ the satisfaction of knowing that. "I'm fine!" he snapped, but gave it all away when he winced at the loud sound of his own voice.

Rapunzel sighed, and shook her head disapprovingly. "Let me see."

Merlin tried desperately to use magic. He had to get out! He had to find Arthur! And he would _not_ let this crazy girl anywhere near him!

Rapunzel let out a startled squeak when her prisoner's eyes turned gold again, but Merlin was simply not strong enough to preform actual magic at the moment. He shook as he tried to force some sort of spell out, but failed pathetically, the sparks sizzling out before they even left his palms. Finally, he conceded and slumped weakly against the tree, and panted from the effort with his eyes wide in horror, hyperventilating a little.

Merlin hated not being able to use magic. He felt so helpless… So worthless… So trapped… And he needed it now! Who knew what this long-haired girl was capable of? Who knew what she'd already done to his best friend?!

"It's okay," Rapunzel whispered, watching his eyes closely to make sure he didn't try again to cast some spell, "Don't be afraid…"  
Merlin shook his head quickly, as if to clear it. This was no time to panic. Panic would not keep Arthur safe. "Where's Arthur?" he demanded again, "What have you done with him?"

Rapunzel shook her head at him. "We'll deal with that later. Right now, you're injured."

"I wonder why…?" Merlin mused, sarcastically.

"Look," Rapunzel sighed, resigned, "The king is fine. If you'd stop protesting so much, and trying to kill me with magic, when you obviously need healing, maybe you could see him."

Merlin glared at her suspiciously for a moment, and then sighed, wearily. "Fine."

Rapunzel smiled, and shyly combed through his raven hair to find the wound. She then turned to him. "I can fix it, you know. But if I do, how am I to keep your magic in check?"

Merlin frowned. "I don't know. I'm fine, actually."

Rapunzel gave him that look he'd seen many times before. It was the same old _You-Know-There-Is-Such-A-Thing-As-Too-Selfless _expression. Merlin didn't agree with it, of course. He didn't matter! He existed only to protect Arthur, after all, according to destiny.

Eugene, who had just now entered the clearing, however, clearly had his own magic-control plan. "Maybe we can't stop you, but you could stop yourself…" he pointed out, "Don't try anything stupid and your friend will remain safe."

Rapunzel raised an eyebrow, and Eugene winked at her. She knew he'd never do such a thing as hurt King Arthur. Merlin, however, had no idea what the stranger keeping him prisoner was like.

He went pale, eyes wide, dipping his head, anxiously. "Please… No… Not Arthur! I'll cooperate, I swear!"

Rapunzel nodded, surprised by his instant compliance. "Um… yeah. Right. Okay then. I'll heal you now. Just don't… freak out…"

Eugene blinked. "I don't think that will be a problem considering his eyes," he pointed out.

Rapunzel shrugged, and held some of her hair up to Merlin's wound.

Merlin jumped, surprised. "What are you…"

"Shh…" Eugene hissed back, smirking slightly as he remembered Rapunzel doing the same to his hand.

And then she began to sing:

_"Flower gleam and glow…"_

Merlin gave a small squeak of astonishment when her hair began glowing, the same liquid golden color as his eyes when he performed magic.

_"Let your power shine…"_

Merlin went rigid in shock as he felt his wound healing under the touch of her hair.

_"Make the clock reverse; bring back what once was mine…"_

Merlin blinked. This was an unusual spell. It appeared to be regular English! How strange… It was clearly not of the Old Religion.

_"What once was mine..."_

When the final line ended, Rapunzel unwrapped her hair from his head, and Merlin felt no more pain.

"What was that?" he asked, curiously.

"Magic of course." Rapunzel informed him, nonchalantly, "Like yours."

Merlin shook his head. "I've never seen magic like _that_ before. You didn't say anything in the language of the Old Religion. What kind of magic _was_ that?"

Rapunzel shrugged. "It's the only magic I know. I've never seen magic like yours before! Mine only heals. But you weren't doing that, were you, with those from spells earlier?"

Merlin shrugged back, the movement made awkward by his bonds. "My magic is actually unique, but we won't get into that now. But there are many sorcerers who do more than just heal."

"Can you heal too?" she asked, green eyes shining with curiosity.

Merlin looked a bit embarrassed. "Well… _People_ can, but I've never been very good at healing spells… Shame too, with all the trouble Arthur gets us into…"

Rapunzel laughed. "So you travel with him a lot, then?"

"Well," Merlin sighed, "I'm his servant, so…"

"Ah," Rapunzel replied, "I see. How's that?"

Merlin shrugged, suddenly looking worried again. "I don't know… Where is he?"

Rapunzel sighed, realizing that nobody was about to get anywhere until Merlin could be certain that his master was safe. "Eugene, would you go get the king?"

Eugene nodded, but then glared at Merlin, suspiciously. "Try anything, and he won't live another minute," he growled, sending a concerned look in Rapunzel's direction.

Merlin nodded, quickly. "Please…" he whispered, nervously, "I swear, I won't do anything…"

Eugene nodded, convinced, and set off to find Arthur.


	4. Chapter 4- The Other Side of the Coin

A/N: Here's the next chapter! Sorry it's been so long... I'm in a play which has been sort of consuming my life... But because this chapter is short, I will update as soon as possible! (School is drawing to a close, which means a lot of work...) But anyway. Enjoy lovely readers! :D

* * *

The young king was still unconscious, having been knocked out by the surprisingly effective frying pan, tied up tightly on the forest floor.

"I am _not_ dragging you," Eugene sighed annoyed. "Get up."

However, Arthur didn't stir.

Muttering something under his breath about magic, crowns and bad luck, he walked over to the nearby lake, filled up his canteen, and dumped it over his prisoner. "Get _up!"_

Arthur's eyes flew open as he spluttered desperately for breath, writhing on the ground in shock.

Flynn couldn't help but laugh at how undignified the royal looked, sopping wet, and panicking.

However, his small victory was short-lived.

Arthur's eyes suddenly darkened seriously as he recalled the previous day's events. "Merlin!" he cried. "Merlin, are you okay? Where are you?!"

Flynn rolled his eyes at the similarity between the reactions of king and servant. But then, suddenly, Arthur turned to look at him with fire in his eyes.

"What did you do to him?" he asked, in a deadly quiet voice, "Where is he?"

Eugene had to say, he was impressed that the king cared so much about his servants, when such low-class people were usually considered disposable. "He's safe for now," he told him, "And will remain so if you cooperate." _I can't take any chances with these two… They're dangerous!_

Arthur continued to glare at him. "I need to be sure that he's alright. Gaius would kill me, at any rate, if he wasn't…"

"Who?" Eugene asked, puzzled.  
"Court physician. Not to mention the knights…" Arthur mentioned.

_Ah, he's letting me know that he has allies… Not that that wasn't completely obvious. He is a king, after all…_

Apparently, something about his expression must have freaked Arthur out, however, because, suddenly, the king started struggling, hard. In a shockingly short passage of time, he had loosened his bonds enough to leap to his feet.

Eugene stared at him in shock. _What do I do now? _ Then, he shook his head. He was still the armed one here! He had a pan and he was not afraid to use it!

However, in a split second, Arthur had grabbed his sword back from among their bags and used it to cut the rest of his bonds off.

_Okay… So maybe this is more dangerous than I thought…_

Arthur held his sword up to his throat, glaring into his eyes. "Take me to Merlin or I'll run you through!"

Eugene's eyes widened and he held his hands up in surrender. "Ah, no need for the sword, my friend… (Very fancy, by the way…) That's where we were going anyway!"

Arthur just glared at him, suspiciously. "Sure we were. Take me there. Now."

_Why does this remind me of a certain time in a certain tower with a certain blond?_

He sighed, and led the angry king through the forest, irritated with himself. _Of course he'd do that. He is a king, after all. He has probably been trained to kill since birth…_

Arthur certainly looked ready to kill… "He'd better be unharmed…" Arthur growled, furiously.

Eugene was by now very relieved that Rapunzel had had time to heal Merlin already. "Why do you care so much?" he asked, suddenly. "He's only a servant. You could always get a new one."

Arthur frowned. "I _could_, but it wouldn't be the same. Merlin _is_ an idiot, but at least he doesn't make jokes about brass…"

"Brass?" Eugene asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, terribly dull, most of that lot," Arthur confirmed. But Eugene somehow sensed that it was more than that…

"Still, he _is_ a servant," he pointed out, "Most royalty wouldn't exactly-"

_"Okay!" _Arthur sighed, "You are obviously not letting this go."

Eugene shrugged. "I'm curious, that's all."

"Merlin's just… different, okay?!" Arthur grunted.

"Okay, okay, Mr. Touchy!" Eugene cried, holding his hands up defensively, "Sorry I asked!"

Arthur frowned at him. "Kings can't be friends with their servants…" he muttered, irritably.

"Ah," Eugene laughed, "The truth comes out!"

Arthur glared at him. "Fine. You got me! Honestly, he's like a little brother to me… So if you so much as frighten him…" He shoved the sword point lightly against Eugene's jacket.

"Okay, okay, I get it!" cried Eugene, "He's fine, I swear!"

Arthur didn't respond, just muttered furiously to himself all the way to Merlin's clearing.


End file.
